"Locking the Door Before We Got the Keys": Racial Realities of the Charter School Authorization Process in Post-Katrina New Orleans. (January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Henry, Kevin Lawrence; Dixson, Adrienne D.
• Other Names: Dumas Michael J. guest-editor.; Dixson Adrienne D. guest-editor.; Mayorga Edwin guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Educational policy. Volume 30:Number 1(2016:Jan.)
• Page Start: 218
• Page End: 240
• Publication Date: 2016-01
• Subjects: charter schools -- charter school authorization process -- post-Katrina studies -- school reform -- critical race theory; Education and state -- United States -- Periodicals; Education -- Periodicals; 379.2
• DOI: 10.1177/0895904815616485
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0895-9048

Abstract

Charter schools have become the hegemonic "solution" for urban educational reform initiatives aimed at curtailing longstanding race-based educational inequities. The "common sense" of neoliberal charter schools as the cure to persistent inequality is best illustrated in the post-Katrina New Orleans educational reforms. This article will focus on a lesser explored aspect of charter schools: the charter school authorization and application process in post-Katrina New Orleans. We center on the perspectives of African American educational actors. Using data from separate but complementary studies, we argue the charter authorization and application process is a racialized site that reproduces White dominance.